Fukuda: To me, Morning Musume is a family. If I was to compare it to the family in “Sazae-san“… It’s like Abe Natsumi is Sazae, I’m Masuo, Nakazawa Yuko is Namihei, Ishiguro Aya is Fune, and Iida Kaori is Tama. (laughs) Nakazawa-san, the warm head of the family. Ayappe, the one who supports the family from the shadows. Nacchi, the heroine. Iida-san, the mascot character. And me, the son-in-law… The position of someone who’s not blood-related — someone who’s a bit of an outsider. (laughs)

— For the first time in 18 years, the five of you recently got the chance to meet once more.

Fukuda: There was no weirdness whatsoever when we were reunited. No one said “long time no see!” or anything — we just started talking to one another as if the last time we’d seen each other was yesterday. That lack of any distance between us felt very family-like.

— Was it a big decision for you to appear on so many stages together with everyone for the 20th anniversary?

Fukuda: If anything, I was surprised by how happy me being there seemed to make everyone. I was glad about having so many people welcoming me back, and it was fun having these conversations with my friends and family. “How did I do?” “You were great!“

When they first approached me about it, I of course immediately gave them my OK. But as it’d been such a long time since my graduation, I also felt worried if I would really be able to do it. I may have been working as an artist, yes, but it’d been ages since I had been in Morning Musume. “Can I still do this?” It’s a group after all, and in a group you have to match your choreography and your backing vocals and the rest of it with everyone else. I had a strong feeling of not wanting to drag the other members down with me.

Airi: Elementary school boys really have a way of healing me with all their cheekiness!

Miyamoto: I get that! It’s like they make fun of you in just the right way!

Airi: Are you a masochist?!

Miyamoto: They’ll be like, “hey miss, you really are ugly!” Then when I go, “say that again and I’ll tickle you!,” they’ll again just say, “stop it, ugly!” It’s so cute~!

Airi: Sometimes when they come to my handshake events, they’ll say, “marry me when I get bigger!” So cute~! And I’m just thinking to myself, “I’ll be quite an auntie by the time you’re a big boy… Don’t abandon me, okay?!“

3: 名無し募集中。。。 2019/03/04(月) 22:47:00.83 0.net
Karin-chan…

1. カラフル名無しさん 2019年03月05日 19:48 ID:udL5rsmN0It’s strange how a statement like that is something that guys can’t get away with, but when it’s a woman saying it then it’s perfectly fine.

Oda: The 11th generation audition was called the “Suppin Utahime Audition” (“Makeup-Less Songstress Audition“). Singing was all I had — this was my chance. Had it been called a “dancing audition” or a “beautiful girl audition,” I probably would’ve given up from the get-go. I got lucky with the word “songstress” being in the title.

The Beginnings of a Songstress

— Tsunku♂ has previously stated that he thinks the all-time top vocalists of Hello! Project are Matsuura Aya, Takahashi Ai, and you.

Oda: He said that in reference to how our skill levels were when we’d just joined Hello! Project. I don’t know whether he still holds that opinion of me or not. I’m just glad that there was at least one point in time where he felt that way.

— The first time you met Tsunku♂ was at the S/mileage audition.

Oda: That was actually the first time I’d ever sung with all seriousness in front of other people. I was always a shy person. But he heard my singing when it was still “pure” — before I’d done any voice training and all that — and he got curious about me because of it. That made me glad.